7 Counties with the Weirdest Stories of 2019 Census

Census official seeking entrance to a family compound during the counting exercise.

With the government saying there is no possible extension to the number of days designated for 2019 census, the week-long exercise is coming to an end on Saturday(Today).

Over 130,000 enumerators were expected to cover 13 million households all over the country in seven days averaging approximately a hundred each.

The enumerators were expected to begin the counting exercise from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the urban centers while in rural areas, the exercise was to begin the same time but end 9 p.m.

A look into how the exercise began to its final day paints a picture of an exercise with its fair share of challenges and unique drama.

Before the exercise

Nairobi

When the training for the census enumerator began in Nairobi region rowdy youths in Kangemi took to the streets to protest against the recruitment process claiming it was marred with massive irregularities.

They stormed Kihumbuini primary school to disrupt the training saying those considered for the position were not residents of the area.

It took the intervention of the police, who deployed teargas canisters, to restore order and even ensure the exercise went on smoothly uninterrupted.

Nyamira

Just a day to the kick-off, ICT supervisor reportedly went missing with the census kit in Kemera, Nyamira county, for nearly two days.

It was later discovered that Gilbert Maranga had given out a census data kit at a bar as collateral after failing to pay his alcohol bills.

During the exercise

Vihiga

In Vihiga County, a man from at Itumbi village, Givogi sub-location hid on a tree to avoid being counted.

Banja location chief Mr Harun Mbeere said the suspect was part of cultist church in Eldoret town and on several occasions boycotted government programs on grounds of his church doctrines. 

Elias Asige, 68, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and taken to Serem Police Station for questioning. 

Kisumu

In Nyanza, a man and his wife were arrested in Kisumu for attacking a chief and village elder who had accompanied census officers at their house in Obunga slums.

The man, identified as Richard Ochieng, bit the fingers of a village elder while his wife hit the area Assistant chief with a piece of brick, hurting him on his thigh.

Murang’a

In Kiharu Sub-County in Muranga, a drunk census official who had visited a rented house in Mukuyu without a census gadget lowered his pants and urinated in the table room during the exercise.

Muranga East police boss Alex Musyia said the owner of the house, who is a Nyumba Kumi official, made a distress call and neighbors alerted the police, who arrested the drunk man. 

Nakuru

In Naivasha, a cleric belonging to Akorino faith and his wife blocked enumerators from counting them.

They locked themselves in their house and refused to open the door despite numerous pleas from the police.

Kilifi 

In Mtwapa, Kilifi County, area chief Rose Kadenge was forced to flee from rowdy census officials who had staged protests over delayed pay.

The chief had gone to ask the enumerators and supervisors to continue with the counting exercise before she wascut short his speech and chased away.

Hundreds of enumerators and supervisors downed their tools to stage a demo in Mtwapa town to present their grievances.

 

 

 

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